2010–11
The 2010–11 season was the 128th season of football played by Bristol Rovers, and their 84th in the Football League. The team spent it in League One, the third level of English football, but a disappointing season saw the team relegated to League Two at the end of the campaign. The club got through four managers over the course of the year, starting with long-term boss Paul Trollope, who was sacked just before Christmas. Assistant manager Darren Patterson was appointed as caretaker boss over the Christmas and new year period, until Dave Penney was taken on as the new permanent manager in January. After winning just two out of thirteen games and having conceded that relegation was an inevitability, Penney was sacked in March, making him Rovers' second shortest-serving manager ever after Martin Dobson. The season ended with senior player Stuart Campbell in temporary charge. Campbell was unable to save the club from relegation, and despite expressing an interest in remaining in the hot seat the board of the football club decided that he should take a more junior role in the management team. Fixtures Pre-season :For more details, see 2010–11 pre-season. Competitive matches Squad *There have also been five own goals scored by Bristol Rovers players. Jeff Hughes netted at the wrong end away to Brighton & Hove Albion in the league, Cian Bolger did it in the home game against the same team, and Byron Anthony has managed to score three own goals–two in the league and one in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy. Discipline Only bookings received while playing for Bristol Rovers are included in this list. Cautions received while out on loan, prior to joining or after leaving The Gas are not given. Team kit As with the previous season, the club held a draw to decide who the new home and away shirt sponsors should be. Errea continued to supply the kits, and the winners of the draw were Smart Computers, whose name appears on the home kit and Stalbridge Linen who appear on the away kit. In addition to the main short sponsors, John Lewis Cribbs Causeway agreed a deal with the club for their logo to appear on the players' shorts. The design of the away kit was changed from the previous season's yellow shirts and green shorts to a quartered design, featuring yellow and black segments with black shorts and yellow socks. The traditional blue and white quarters were retained for the home kit. Awards The Bristol Rovers supporters club held their annual awards dinner at the end of the season, where they handed out trophies for Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year, Youth Player of the Year, Goal of the Year and Clubman of the Year. In spite of the poor season on the field the event was very well attended. *'Player of the Year:' Stuart Campbell picked up this trophy for the second year running and the third time in four years. *'Young Player of the Year:' Harry Pell was an almost permanent fixture on the bench for the early part of the season, but things didn't really kick off for him until he went out on loan to Hereford United midway though the year. After returning to Bristol in March he went on to play some part in most of The Pirates' remaining games, although only stayed on the pitch for the full 90 minutes once. *'Youth Player of the Year:' Darren Jefferies picked up the award for his performances in the club's youth set-up. He was awarded a professional contract in October, which he signed on his 17th birthday, and was also included on the first team bench three times, though did not make it onto the field of play. *'Goal of the Season:' The Jane Browne Memorial Trophy for goal of the season was awarded to Ben Swallow for his strike against Wycombe Wanderers in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy. *'Clubman of the Year:' This went to programme editor Keith Brookman after The Pirate won yet another award for best programme in the division. Keith was also regular co-commentator on Radio Bristol's match commentary of Rovers' games. The full announcement of the 2010–11 award winners can be seen on the Bristol Rovers Supporters Club website by following this link: http://www.bristolroverssc.co.uk/news/article/1416 Transfers Players in a Luke Daniels had his loan period cancelled before the start of the season due to injury. He later returned to the club for the last 4 months of the campaign. b Mikkel Andersen's loan was initially for one month, later extended for a further four. Players out The club also opted not to retain the services of youth team players Ashley Bowle, Sam Butler, Jack Camm, Alex Hoyle, Robbi Maggs, Lewis Parker, Tyrone Rhoden, Tom Seery and Jordan Tillson. Category:Seasons Category:2010 Category:2011